Top ten tips to reduce your impact

Published on 15 July 2020

This month, the City of Swan is celebrating Plastic Free July, a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, waterways, and beautiful communities.

If you want to know what you can do to play your part, check out our top ten tips to reduce your impact below:

1. Coffee - carry a reusable coffee cup or dine in

Dine in or use a reusable cup for your coffee and beverages to save plastic (subject to participating venues, find more information in the COVID safety plan and guidelines section of the State Government website). If you have trouble remembering to take your reusable cup, try packing it with your lunch box each day, putting it in your work bag or placing it near your keys.

2. Fruit and vegetables – say no to packaging

Buy your fruit and vegetables loose and avoid plastic produce bags by taking your own reusable ones.

3. Water bottles - BYO reusable bottle

Bottled water is not only expensive (on average 2,000 times more so than tap water) but also requires a lot of oil and water to manufacture the bottle itself. Carrying your reusable bottle is the best option.

4. Shopping - take your own reusable bags

Keep a stash of your reusable bags (and your reusable produce bags) somewhere you’ll remember them, like in the boot of your car or by your front door. You can also buy small fold up options for your handbags, backpacks or glovebox so you will always have an alternative to plastic.

5. Meat, fish and deli - avoid plastic trays and take your own containers to selected butchers and delis.

Choose to refuse pre-packaged meat, fish and deli products, particularly those sold on polystyrene trays. Shop around for a local butcher, fishmonger or deli-counter who sell unpackaged items.

6.  Eat real food - cutting out most processed foods can not only reduce waste but improve your health and save you money.

This doesn’t mean you have to cook for hours every day - try simple food made with fresh ingredients. Not only will it will reduce the amount of plastic waste you generate, it’s also good for you and tastes delicious!

7. Say ‘no’ to plastic straws and ‘yes’ to reusable alternatives.

There are many reusable options available and by doing this you will reduce one of the most common items found in our oceans, rivers and waterways. Single use straws are only used for a few minutes and can remain in our environment indefinitely.

8. Create plastic free lunch boxes for school or work

Most people already have mastered the reusable lunch box, but what is inside the lunchbox… single use plastic packets of chips, biscuits, nuts and single use cutlery? It’s easy to find substitutes for these. Beeswax wraps and small containers will reduce your impact, keep food fresher and is often cheaper so it will save you money. Wrap up cutlery from home in a napkin and place into your lunchbox.

9. Buy loose - take your own containers to bulk stores to get plastic free groceries.

Rice, pasta, cereals, oil, spices, flours, nuts, tea and chocolates are some of the common goodies available for purchase at bulk stores.

10. Soft plastic packaging - avoid or recycle through the REDcycle program

Soft plastics like confectionary packaging, frozen veggie and pasta bags, cereal box liners and biscuit packets are recyclable through special REDcycle bins at Coles, Woolworths and other participating locations. Find out more at www.redcycle.net.au

Find out more about waste avoidance and reduction at www.swan.wa.gov.au/waste